What are important lessons you've learned about nursing when you've been a patient or a family member of a patient?
For me, the last couple days, with my son on the peds unit, I learned that when a nurse keeps you up to date about what test results were, when the consulted surgeon is not coming cuz he's tied up in an emergency surgery, what the most recent orders were, it's really helpful.
I'll post more of what I learned later, but I am whooped.
Honestly, I feel that being a nurse made me a better patient not the other way around. Knowing what the nurses were going through helped me understand when things didn't go exactly easy or quick.
I learned that abdominal distension and gas can hurt worse than incisions.
I learned that clear liquids (juice = sugar water, broth = salt water) don't help the abdominal distension any.
I learned that just because your med-surg patient is a walkie-talkie, don't regard their stay as a formality pending discharge next day, and don't be casual about VS.
I learned that kindness and a few minutes to talk means the world. I learned it from a housekeeper.
Staying in the ICU overnight with my son I learned how LOUD some nurses can be with laughter and even off-color jokes. Sound really carries into the rooms!
I was also very impressed in another hospital with a new young nurse who really advocated for her patient, my son. My son hadn't urinated in six hours and she was concerned that he was becoming dehydrated and wanted to start some fluids. The intern said no, but because she was worried about him, she went over the intern's head and got an order to do it anyway. When the intern saw the fluids he went out to talk to her and I know he wasn't happy. But it made me feel safe to know that his nurse was looking out for his best interest, even at the risk of making someone mad. And as a new nurse myself, it taught me how important that was for the patient and their family.
My auntie was hospitalized repeatedly for CHF and pleural effusions during the last few months of her life. She was the sweetest thing ever, and every nurse in the CCU and step-down was so wonderful to her. They called me, as promised, whenever she was tanking. They gave me updates as soon as I arrived, without me having to ask. They were so gentle with her. She never complained, and they knew she was uncomfortable, and offered her food and drink, hair combing, and just plain talk.
It's not as if they weren't busy. They were. But they found the time to connect with her.
Because of the behavior of those beautiful nurses, and the hospice nurses, I decided to quit teaching, and go back to my first love from long ago - nursing. My pre-req's are done, and I am applying this week for the second degree program.
Thank you to all you nurses for the work you do. All those little "things" mentioned in this thread that you do for your patients mean the world to them and the family.
I also came into nursing after my experience on the other side of the call light, because of the knowledge, expertise and compassion of the nurses my Mom had during her last illness. In turn, I have since been able to be a much more effective advocate and guide thru the healthcare system for other family members during illness/ rehab and dying.
The most crucial thing I have learned is that patients and family need to know what is expected of them during a hospital stay as well as what care they are permitted to do for themself or the family member. For some patients it may be appropriate to help them to the bathroom without staff assistance or to bring them water-for other patients these actions could be disasterous. Also they need to know if it's OK for them to have access to the kitchen or linen area.
After being treated like a drug seeker in the ER a few years ago, I would never again doubt someones complaints of pain.
That happened to me, too. An ER doc came right out and accused me of being a seeker. He even ran a drug screen on me without my knowledge (neg, of course) for which I was billed $500.
I wrote an angry letter to the hospital, and got some of my money back.
1. Being treated with respect and dignity after you have wet the bed even though you are 19 makes the difference between feeling ashamed (which I did before they came in) and embarrassed (which i did after they came in).
2. Being told you need to wait for pain medications after being transfered from the ICU to the floor is awful. Especially if you then find out that the doc wrote it in such a way that they could have gotten a single dose.
3. If you tell a nurse that you have bad veins, they take a look, and decide not to try you feel more comfortable having them be your nurse because you know that they will not try something they are not capable of.
4. If a nurse is not able to start your IV (at my hospital they need to be trained to do it) but knows you are needle phobic, and they tell you to NOT let the other nurse do it till they get there. Then hold your hand while the other nurse does it it makes you feel SO good. (PS I was 19 when that happened so it was not like I was a little kid)
5. If you see a nurse that you had previously had and they remember you and show concern for you, even if they are in a stressful time in their own life, it makes you feel like you matter.
6. A nurse saying something like "Don't worry I will be there with you the whole time" when you are getting ready to go to the OR makes you feel SO much better.
7. When a nurse holds your hand as you go to sleep for surgery it gives you that little extra bit of comfort that makes you feel SO much safer. (By the way 5-7 was the same nurse)
8. When a nurse finds out that the person who answers the pages is not telling them that you need them, and they show that they are upset, and take to checking on you at least every hour, you know you are in good hands.
9. When a nurse just takes the time to talk to you, it makes you feel like you are important.
10. A nurse who makes you feel good makes sure that after you have just been VERY agitated after coming out of surgery (crying for no reason, hyperventilating, physically could not control leg movements) and you are able to say "last time I was crying and Demerol calmed me down" they get an order, no questions asked.
11. After you have calmed down, they stand there, stroking your hair and forehead to help you relax. (10 & 11 same nurse)
Sorry this is so long but I have learned a lot, some of which I will be able to use when I become a child life specialist.
I posted a bit more about this incident in the ER forum under the drug seeker thread.This is incredibly sad and infuriating at the same time.
I read that thread and it was disturbing. I was shocked at how many people were judged to be drug seekers when they were really in terrible pain and in dire need of medical help. You were one of those patients. Horrifying.
StacieRN, RN
78 Posts
Honestly, I feel that being a nurse made me a better patient not the other way around. Knowing what the nurses were going through helped me understand when things didn't go exactly easy or quick.